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Tag: MS Dhoni

  • The new brand campaign featuring MS.Dhoni draws attention to multiple benefits of LED batten over conventional tube light which include better light, energy savings and longer lifespan

    MS Dhoni vouches for benefits of LED Batten for Orient Electric

     

     

    The ads are all over television. In fact just just too many times for our liking in a one-hour duration on India Today channel on Thursday evening. But then when you’ve got longstanding brand ambassador MS Dhoni on board, may as well milk the opportunity.

     

    Orient Electric, part of the CK Birla group, has launched an integrated advertising campaign with Dhoni for its range of LED Battens. The campaign features a TV ad that shows Dhoni being playfully picked on by his niece for not putting an end to the misery of flickering tubelight and upgrading to Orient LED Batten which comes with ‘No Choke, No Starter and No Flicker’, and ensures better lighting with significant cost savings.

     

    Commenting on the launch of the integrated campaign, Anshuman Chakravarty, Head Brand & Corporate Communication, Orient Electric said: “It all started with our quest to find what’s next after LED Bulbs. The second biggest consumer lighting product even today is the conventional tube light with its choke, starter and its impending problem of flickering, which we all have faced in our lives. We realised that our communication around LED Batten ‘No Choke, No Starter and No Flicker’, could be a potential game changer.

     

    Added Mayur Hola, Executive Creative Director, Contract Advertising, Delhi: “This one lit a bulb straight away. The brief was crystal, we knew the exact bone of contention (a flickering tube light) that needed to be played up. And we went straight for it, MSD in tow. This is also the inception of the entire LED Batten category, no brand has set foot there yet in terms of communication. It’s a big opportunity that Orient and Contract spotted in time and I’m sure it will do the job in taking the lead here.”

     

  • The TVC triggers the same feeling of euphoria that the fans experienced when India won the ICC World Cup after a 28-year long wait

    Star Sports unveils campaign promoting ICC Champions Trophy’17

     

     

    The tournament is a few months away and the Indian team has some cricketing fixtures scheduled before plus the Indian Premier League (IPL), but Star Sports has kicked off its campaign for the ICC Champions Trophy ’17 with a TVC created by the channel’s internal creative team.

     

    The film opens with the photo of former Indian captain, MS Dhoni, posing with the ICC World Cup trophy in front of the Gateway of India. The film moves in reverse, starting from the celebrations being done by the fans and the players just after India won the ICC World Cup in 2011 to the iconic shot of ICC World Cup 2011 – MSD’s winning six in the final at Wankhede Stadium. The film ends with a voiceover along with the shot of current Indian captain, Virat Kohli.

     

    The TVC attempts to trigger the same feeling of euphoria that the fans experienced when India won the ICC World Cup after a 28-yearlong wait, notes a communique.

     

  • The ethos of his personality and that of NatureFreshActi-Lite is what makes him a fit for the brand

    NatureFresh Acti-Lite partners MSD for new brand ethos

    By A Correspondent

     

    NatureFresh Acti-Lite has partnered with the movie MS Dhoni to take forward the brand thought of ‘Raho Har Pal Active’ through in-film placement and a 360-degree plan.

     

    With this association, the brand has planned activities for its consumers, retailers and employees. Activities includes TV campaign, employees meet and greet with the star cast of the movie, retailer engagement activities, movie tickets and giving away attractive merchandise along with social media contest called #Captain Active for consumers to post their stories.

     

    Speaking on the association, Neelima Burra, Chief Marketing Officer, Cargill Foods India said: “Associating NatureFresh Acti-Lite with the movie MS Dhoni is like a perfect handshake as both of them believe in the common ideology of a fitter and active life. Taking into consideration the clutter and competition, brands are looking at new and innovative platforms to connect with their audiences. Embedded advertising or in-film placement is one of the trending ways to execute this ambition. We are glad to associate with MS Dhoni movie as it will help us build a stronger connect with our audience.”

     

  • The launch campaign is also supported with a teaser film and digital activity

    TVS Star City+ gets Mahi & Prabhu Deva to play up brand USP in new campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    TVS Motors has unveiled a festive campaign campaign around Pongal / Sankranti for its brand Star City+. The film highlights the distinctive style of the bike through a unique interplay between MS Dhoni, the brand’s continuing celebrity endorser and Prabhu Deva who has been specifically roped in for this campaign.

     

    The campaign features MS Dhoni who is shown inaugurating a TVS showroom on Pongal day dressed in typical South Indian attire of a Veshti (Dhoti) & shirt, but he is a bit hesitant to take a ride on the bike. Fortunately, Prabhu Deva is at hand to stylishly show MS Dhoni the way to tie up a dhoti in true South Indian style. The two then proceed to go on a joyride on the 1110cc motorcycle, TVS Star City+.

     

    The launch campaign is also supported with a teaser film and digital activity that is intended to pique curiosity with the audience of the unique coming together of two superstars, this festive season.

     

  • All eyes on whether CSK and the Royals have new owners or are out of the tournament

    Dark Clouds for IPL Sponsors?

     

    By Pritha Mitra Dasgupta & Ratna Bhushan

     

    The proposed suspension of Indian Premier League teams Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals following a betting scandal evoked mixed opinions about how the cricket tournament would be affected, although it is unlikely to financially hurt title sponsor PepsiCo or team sponsors such as Aircel and UltraTech.

     

    In all probability, the Board of Control for Cricket in India will have to compensate sponsors financially for any loss of opportunity to market their brands, two people who deal with such negotiations said.

     

    “Both teams have star players such as MS Dhoni and Shane Watson who are brands in their own right and the teams have been performing well. If BCCI chooses to go ahead without the two teams next year, then it will have to decide on how the sponsors would be compensated,” a source said.

     

    The sponsors of CSK and Rajasthan Royals won’t take any hit, said Melroy D’Souza, chief operating officer at Professional Management Group, the sports marketing unit of Madison.

     

    Media planners said suspension of two of the eight teams may be a problem for Sony, official broadcaster of the T20 cricket league. “Sony Max will not be able to match the ad sales revenue it raked in the previous IPL season because the number of matches will reduce,” a top media planner said.

     

    “There will be a lot of challenges for the next edition of IPL,” said Santosh Desai, MD & CEO of Futurebrands India. “The immediate issue will be adjusting the format and one would imagine that the brand value will take a knock. And advertisers will be wary at least for the next season of IPL.”

     

    According to Ashish Bhasin, chairman & CEO South Asia, Dentsu Aegis Network, “Both CSK and RR are very big teams and their suspension will impact the tournament in a big way. But I am sure BCCI will find ways to reorient the tournament.”

     

    Bhasin added that the tournament is unviable with six teams and “financially it will be very difficult to sustain. If the number of matches get lesser there will be less advertising time. So we need to see how BCCI restructures IPL.”

     

    Shashi Sinha, CEO, IPG Media brands, said that IPL is bigger than the teams and “people watch it more for its entertainment value than competitive cricket. So in my opinion, advertiser interest will remain.”

     

    Vodafone, one of the three official IPL partners and one of the biggest advertisers, declined to comment.

     

    PepsiCo India said it expects the issues surrounding IPL to be adequately and swiftly addressed. “The faith of cricket fans is important and needs to be restored in the interest of the game. With reference the ban on the two teams, we will discuss it with Board of Control for Cricket in India and are hopeful they will be able to find a solution, which is in the best interest of all stakeholders,” a PepsiCo spokesperson said.

     

    Mobile wallet company, Paytm, which came on board as an IPL sponsor in 2015, will “wait and watch before signing another deal with IPL.” Shankar Nath, senior vice president at Paytm, said, “We are stunned by the news. But the good news is there is still a lot of time before the next season and maybe it will prove to be resilient.”

     

    “IPL has emerged as a robust and endearing sporting event property, which has only grown stronger with record TV viewership and instadium attendance. We believe that the strengthened governance structure and enhanced image of the IPL will further build the popularity of the league and benefit all its stakeholders, including sponsors,” said Anindya Datta, chief marketing officer at Yes Bank, one of the official partners of the event.

     

    Aircel, the oldest and biggest team sponsor of CSK, went into a huddle over the question of disassociating with a team found to have links with a betting scandal.

     

    “The verdict has just been announced and we are reviewing our position in the matter,” Aircel said in a statement to CSK.

     

    A leading media agency is of the opinion that both CSK and RR will play in the next season of IPL, probably under new owners, and therefore the tournament format will remain unaffected.

     

    However, the agency said a number of big advertisers may not associate with IPL because the property is marred with the betting scandal and the matter is sub judice. No one would want to come under the scanner of the new government.

     

    The agency said cricket as a property in India has become very expensive and a number of beverage and FMCG brands might use this as an excuse to get out of IPL.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2015, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

    Licensed to republish

     

  • The new fitness drive is aimed towards aspiring people to dedicate one hour from their busy schedules

    Dhoni exhorts India to spend an hour for fitness

    By A Correspondent

     

    Reebok India has launched the ‘MSD4India’ campaign with Dhoni where the Indian cricket captain is asking Indians to join the ‘1 hour of fitness’ movement with him.

     

    The new fitness drive is aimed towards aspiring people to dedicate one hour from their busy schedules to get fit and adopt a better and healthier lifestyle. In the recently revealed video, MS Dhoni is asking India for one hour where one will feel their legs burning, their heart pumping and their lungs begging to stop but every minute of it would take them a step forward towards being fitter.

     

    Somdeb Basu, Brand Director at Reebok India commented, “This is not a campaign. I would call this a movement to “change lives”. We wanted to do something that would connect with millions of people across the country, and inspire Indians to be Fit for Life.  Ours is a unique nation that reacts equally well towards candle vigils or ice bucket challenges. We come out in support of each other which is a great thing but what about when it comes to our own self? And that is how this idea was borne. M.S. Dhoni was the perfect choice for such an idea, because of the immense respect and love he has garnered from India over the years, and his embodiment of Reebok’s ‘Fit for Life’ philosophy. We truly hope that we are successful in gaining support for this ‘fitness movement’, and make our vision of a ‘Fit India’ a reality.”

     

    With MS Dhoni’s exclusive fitness content to be revealed in coming days, fitness enthusiasts and his fans can discover that one hour at www.msd4india.com. From customized fitness schedule to diet plans, people will have access to all that they need to get started on their fitness goals. Each plan is based on individual fitness goals, lifestyle and dietary preferences for people from all walks of life.

     

  • Is a cautious PepsiCo going slow on India and CSK skipper MS Dhoni in IPL ads?

    Oh, yes, but kabhi?

     

    By Ratna Bhushan

     

    Why hasn’t IPL title sponsor PepsiCo not featured its prized and most famous brand ambassador MS Dhoni, India captain and captain of IPL team Chennai Super Kings, in any of its IPL ads yet, despite PepsiCo being title sponsor of the IPL, and despite this being peak season for colas?

     

    Dhoni, the most prominent face of PepsiCo other than actor Ranbir Kapoor, is conspicuously absent in Pepsi’s advertising at least till now in the ongoing IPL, a departure from previous years when PepsiCo, in its trademark flamboyant style, had splashed media bursts on TV and outdoor featuring Dhoni either before the IPL kicked off or coinciding with the start of the tournament. But this time, the cola firm has restrained showing him in ads till now.

     

    For the time being, PepsiCo has released teaser ads, which are expected to culminate in advertisements showing the India captain and the flavour of the season, cricketer Virat Kohli together as one of the options. But the timing of when these ads will be released isn’t clear yet. A PepsiCo spokesperson, however, said releasing Dhoni ads later in the tournament was part of strategy.

     

    According to an official, one of the ads showing the Dhoni-Virat duo, which is likely to be released later as the tournament progresses, shows Dhoni as the lesser aggressive of the two and Virat as the younger go-getter.

     

    The PepsiCo’s IPL ads so far have featured actor Ranbir Kapoor, based on a theme called the Pepsi Intern.

     

    Last year in January, PepsiCo had announced its Oh Yes Abhi campaign, featuring Ranbir Kapoor, Dhoni and Priyanka Chopra. And the previous year too, Pepsi’s ‘change the game’ advertising featured Dhoni as the star in ads featuring several cricketers including Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh, along with many top footballers like Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard.

     

    In Pepsi trademark style, the ‘change the game’ hoardings and ads were pushed very aggressively.

     

    Two officials who work closely with PepsiCo, said the firm is being cautious about using Dhoni because of the company’s global code of conduct, which says, among other things, that the company needs to restrain itself from showing celebrities who’s names are involved in controversies. PepsiCo works with ad agencies JWT and Dentsu India-owned Taproot.

     

    “It’s a given that Pepsi would want to cash in on their association with the India captain in peak cola and cricket season. But they are walking a tight rope and need to tread cautiously,” one of the officials mentioned earlier said.

     

    On the other hand, it would not want to disassociate itself from Dhoni – still a youth icon, hugely popular and a successful captain. But Dhoni’s name is been dragged in the IPL spot-fixing scandal, and he has been alleged to have hidden the fact that Gurunath Meiyappan, named as accused in betting, was not the team principal of Chennai Super Kings but just a cricket enthusiast.

     

    The IPL probe committee headed by Justice Mudgal indicates that Dhoni did not say the truth on the matter. The Mudgal report also mentions prominent cricketers as involved in spot fixing, though the names of the cricketers are not in public domain yet.

     

    On the other hand, brands like telecom services player Aircel and Orient are liberally showing ads featuring Dhoni, cashing on the cricket season.

     

    The IPL is currently being played in the UAE, as its timing clashed with the Elections. The tournament will return to India in its second leg.The time difference between the UAE and India is less than two hours, so the tournament remains a prime time view for Indian audiences.

     

    Pepsi also happens to be a leading sponsor of the IPL on broadcaster Multi Screen Media.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2014, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

    Licensed to republish

     

  • The ad features MS Dhoni, Nargis Fakhri and John Abraham in a never-before-seen avatar

    Reebok unveils inspirational #LiveWithFire ad campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    Continuing its global mission to change how people perceive and experience fitness, Reebok India announced the launch of its new, fully-integrated marketing campaign – “Live with Fire”. Featuring the fitness trio of MS Dhoni, Nargis Fakhri and John Abraham, the campaign encourages people to stay ‘fit for life’ through a series of cult activities.

     

    The “Live with Fire” campaign was globally rolled out in 2013 and highlights Reebok’s core pillars of Training, Running and Studio. Being customized to the Indian market, the new 360 degree campaign focuses on celebrating people whose lives have been transformed through their active lifestyle and aims at pushing them beyond their set goals.

     

    The TV commercial will be released across India on April 26, 2014. MS Dhoni takes the technologically advanced Reebok ZQuick running shoes for a spin amidst traffic on a busy road in the city and also undertakes the challenging and adventurous Spartan race while shooting for the campaign. John Abraham adds a wow factor to regular ab crunches by doing them while hanging from the edge of a building and Nargis Fakhri amazes viewers with her sassy and spunky Zumba moves atop a towering building.

     

    Somdeb Basu, Brand Director at Reebok India said, “At Reebok, our mission is to empower people to be ‘fit for life’, but we don’t want people to move for the sake of movement; we believe movement is the path to becoming physically, mentally and socially stronger. This philosophy translates well in our new brand mark logo – Reebok Delta. We are thrilled to present three of our strongest assets in a never-seen-before ‘avatar’ and are certain that their fitness moves will inspire people to embark on this new journey. Our creative visuals are interactive, inspirational and imaginative!”

     

    With this campaign, Reebok officially unveils the new brand mark – Reebok Delta, and inspires people to live their lives with passion, intent and purpose. The Reebok Delta has three distinct parts, each representing the physical, mental and social transformation that people experience through embracing an active lifestyle.

     

  • Indian cricket captain MS Dhoni is poised to run up a hefty score with his new bat sponsorship deals

    MS Dhoni set to make Rs 25 crore from bat sponsorship deal

    By Ravi Teja Sharma

     

    Indian cricket captain MS Dhoni is poised to run up a hefty score with his new bat sponsorship deals. He stands to make a record Rs 25 crore a year in separate pacts with Australian sports goods manufacturer Spartan Sports and Amity University.

     

    The bigger deal is with Spartan Sports, whose equipment he’s already begun using, and is pegged at as much as Rs 18-20 crore a year, including royalty on goods sold as part of a joint venture by the company, said a person aware of the development. “It could also include an equity stake in Spartan Sports for Dhoni,” said the person, who didn’t want to be named.

     

    Amity University will pay close to Rs 6 crore a year as corporate sponsor with branding on the back of Dhoni’s bat, the person said. “We are all about leadership and focus on the youth,” said Atul Chauhan, chancellor of the private university. “Dhoni too is a great leader and has a big youth connect.”

     

    Dhoni’s previous bat sponsor was Reebok, which had its branding on his bat until the end of the recent India-Australia series at home. Dhoni used the Spartan bat against the West Indies. Reebok, which was paying close to Rs 6 crore a year to Dhoni for the bat sponsorship that began a few years ago, continues its relationship with the Indian captain on apparel and footwear.

     

    The recently retired Sachin Tendulkar’s 2009 bat sponsorship deal with Adidas after a long stint with MRF was regarded as one of the biggest such pacts at Rs 4 crore. Then, earlier this year, Virat Kohli signed with MRF as bat sponsor in a deal worth Rs 6.5 crore. Unlike Reebok, MRF and others that sponsor cricketers’ bats but don’t manufacture their own, Spartan produces its own equipment. Dhoni’s management company said it’s maximising earnings by breaking up the sponsorship into various components. “We are getting more money by splitting our properties and selling them separately. In the last five years, the MS Dhoni brand has become much bigger,” said Arun Pandey, owner of Rhiti Sports that manages Dhoni, confirming the deals with Spartan and Amity. The joint venture that’s part of the deal is for the ‘7 by MSD’ brand of equipment that Spartan will sell. Dhoni’s jersey number is 7.

     

    “Dhoni’s association with Spartan is for perpetuity,” said Kunal Sharma, managing director of Spartan. “To get MS on board is the biggest highlight of our business. He is in perfect synergy with our brand,” said Mr Sharma, whose company is or has been associated with international cricketers such as Australian captain Michael Clarke, West Indian Chris Gayle and English wicket-keeper Matt Prior.

     

    Messrs Pandey, Sharma and Chauhan declined to comment on the financial details. The deal will become part of an India entry strategy for Spartan Sports, which produces sporting equipment at a factory in Jalandhar but doesn’t sell locally. “This deal will give us massive inroads into the market. The young cricketer in Ranchi or in Indore or any part of India or the globe will be able to access our products,” said Mr Sharma.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2013, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

    Licensed to republish

     

  • The now-resting India captain's ability to stay cool when the heat is on allows him to make uncanny calls

    What Corporate India can learn from MS Dhoni’s leadership style

     

    By Dibeyendu Ganguly

     

    How does Mahinder Singh Dhoni maintain an aura of calm even when the Indian cricket team is getting a drubbing? Why doesn’t the captain exhibit signs of anguish in the face of defeat, like Rahul Dravid and Saurav Ganguly quite often did before him? Doesn’t he care? “Winning is important to Dhoni,” says for player and cricketer commentator Sanjay Manjrekar, “but losing is not that important. It’s a very rare leadership quality.”

     

    A calm mind is the most dangerous and Dhoni’s ability to stay cool when the heat is on allows him to make the uncanny calls that others find hard to fathom. “For champions, the big day is like every day,” says cricket commentator and author Harsha Bhogle. “The great captains of the world know that if you fear losing, you will be agitated, which invites losing. We can never know what’s going on inside Dhoni’s head. If he is stressed, he never lets it show.”

     

    Dissecting Dhoni’s leadership style for a corporate audience at the ESPNCricinfo 20th anniversary event in Mumbai earlier this month, the two commentators, along with Prakash Iyer, managing director of Kimberley Clark, agreed that this sense of detachment in times of crisis is the hallmark of the captain’s leadership style. Manjrekar says that one of the reasons Dhoni remain unruffled is because he insulates himself from extraneous influences. “Dhoni is either unaware of what commentators say about him or he doesn’t care. He didn’t seem affected by the conflict of interest scandal, when he was in the headlines. In that way he’s different from a captain like Ganguly, who was always attuned to what the press was saying about him.”

     

    Dhoni’s ability to insulate himself and his team from extraneous influences in order to focus on the game is one of his biggest strengths. He is also known to back his players, giving them time to gain full potential. “The players know that Dhoni will not hastily judge them,” says Manjrekar. “They just need to have the right attitude and show courage in the field. He empowers them. He’s not a controlling kind of captain.”

     

    Dhoni may empower, but when it comes to key strategic decisions, he is his own man, seldom seeking advice. Manjrekar compares him to Azharuddin, who would always huddle with senior players during the drink break and ask their advice on what to do next: “Dhoni doesn’t do that. He doesn’t need advice. And after losing a match, he doesn’t need comforting.”

     

    In cricket and in the corporate world, there is always a tendency to promote the best player to captaincy. This often creates tension between personal performance and team performance. In the corporate world, people do look askance at leaders who fail to perform. “A corporate leader needs to personally effective. People in office would point at a CEO who fails to swing an important deal,” says Iyer.

     

    In cricket, however, a captain’s personal performance and team performance need to be separated. “If you’re not doing well yourself, you still have to get performance from others. These are two different things. I remember Gavaskar in 1985-86. He was willing to sit back and let everyone else get ahead,” says Bhogle.

     

    Is Dhoni the best captain Indian cricket ever had? And is he going to leave the game better than it was? While the rest of the panel is ambivalent, Manjrekar is unequivocal: “I’m a fan. Dhoni leads from the front and he is a much better role model for young cricketers than those who went before him. In the past, the biggest problem with the Indian team was temperament. Which is why we would lose matches we were all set to win. Today, the team is temperamentally stronger, thanks to Dhoni. He is capable of leading Indian cricket itself, not just the team.”

     

    Dhoni certainly seems to enjoy being the captain, unlike Sachin Tendulkar, who was never happy taking charge. Bhogle believes Dhoni is a political animal at heart, which is why he’s so inscrutable: “He wouldn’t do anything to jeopordise his captaincy. He knows when to stay quiet and what to say in any given situation. He prefers to wait and watch rather than speak out.”

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2013, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

    Licensed to republish

     

  • Now that the IPL is over however, it will be interesting to see how our perpetual moaning machines in the media will fill up their time…

    [MJR] IPL symptomatic of the end of civilization

    Ranjona Banerji

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    There’s only one newsmaker this morning and that’s the IPL. As Manoj Tiwary hit a four over Chepauk stadium winning the title for the Kolkata Knight Riders, season five of a very successful Indian Premier League comes to an end.

     

    And what a season it has been – a film star team owner fights with a security guard, another film star team owner castigates a third umpire for being unfair to one of her players, a player assaults a woman at a party, five players are exposed for spot-fixing and the management is exposed for unfair processes in the buying and selling of players… have I left anything out?

     

    And then there’s been the cricket. The drama over Saurav Ganguly now being with the Pune Warriors, the expectation that Sachin Tendulkar would soon reach his 1000th Test century, the thrilling last ball finishes, the sentiment attached to Rahul Dravid and all the news finds.

     

    And of course, the media. For some, like the ultra-bore Boria Majumdar parked in the Times of India stable, the IPL is symptomatic of the end of civilisation. The erudite Ram Guha doesn’t like it either. A player misbehaves at a party and a couple of former players threaten to go on a hunger strike – which I don’t think happened. Or at least, everyone forgot soon after. The TV channels also decided that IPL was the thin end of the wedge before the human race sinks into an irreversible path of iniquity. I would say the same thing about TV news as far as the fate of the media in India is concerned but…

     

    Sharda Ugra in The Indian Express lauds the good things, hopes the BCCI will fix the bad things and then focuses on what was really wrong with the IPL – the terrible pre and post shows on Sony’s SET Max, Extra Innings. I think there may be an extra ‘a’ in there for some inexplicable reason. Having dispensed with the dispensable Mandira Bedi, we have had the unpalatable and hysterical Gaurav Kapoor and those two girls foisted on us. Isa Guha, since she understood cricket and took it seriously, was a rare breath of fresh air. Why those two badly dressed, screeching and oddly accented girls had to interview minor starlets on the grounds was not explained to us. The cheerleaders in the studio were the worst available. I cannot understand a word Navjot Singh Sidhu says so I was spared tearing my hair out. My only concern was that he needed to go on a diet. Ever since Harsha Bhogle had a hair transplant, I cannot but concentrate on his new fringe to the exclusion of his platitudinous and fatuous observations on cricket.

    Ugra, I have to confess, was not this nasty.

     

    Mid-Day’s headline “Ra.Won” is the winner of the day. The Hindustan Times gave us a sort of truncated report, obviously written in a hurry and the reporter clearly did not like Shah Rukh Khan. The Times of India had a better report – a real surprise since its sports coverage has sunk to new lows recently – but its reporter is clearly no fan of MS Dhoni’s and called him out for his “standard tricks”, in this instance, slow over rate towards the end of the match.

     

    Now that the IPL is over however, it will be interesting to see how our perpetual moaning machines in the media will fill up their time…

     

  • Goafest is a good break from day to day drudgery. I would like to see cultural activities go hand in hand with the learning, says Mr Kamath

    6 Days to Go-Goafest: I would like to see less of scam, says Subhash Kamath

    By Subhash Kamath

     

    There is the advertising awards night and then there is Goafest, difference being that the latter is a three-day affair and is a festival of advertising. The Festival sees more than two thousand people from the fraternity congregate at one place to celebrate Indian Advertising. Its three day outing of learning, networking, meeting, fun and party.

     

    What I would like to see at Goafest? Well, less of scam for sure. Over the years, I have become disillusioned with the amount of scam one sees at awards and this is the case not just peculiar to Indian advertising but across the globe. What used to be an exception has become a rule now. It is like creating a parallel culture comprising real work v/s work created just for awards.

     

    I don’t really know what the solution is for this but the number of scams surely brings down the credibility of any awards.

     

    Another thing that I would like to at the Goafest would be speakers from outside our industry. I know that the biggest challenge at the Fest is to get an impressive line of speakers. If you get a big name, then it ensures a full house but lesser known speakers warrant an empty hall. I say, why not get Nandan Nilekani who is a great speaker and people would love listening to him, MS Dhoni could talk on how to motivate a team or Aamir Khan on creating different identity. They would surely be worth listening to. The whole idea should be to make Goafest bigger, popular and global.

     

    Goafest is a good break from day to day drudgery. I would like to see cultural activities go hand in hand with the learning. It would be great if one sees parallel activities like a music fest, or a stage for impromptu standup comedy or street theater. At ASCI, I had initiated to engage people in installation art or mobile film making, like these there are several creative options one could explore. There is a lot of talent in our industry and giving a platform to showcase these at Goafest would add a new element to Goafest.

     

    There should be an amalgamation of learning, fun and work shop at the Fest and let people choose what they would like to go for.

     

    Bottom line being that lets take Goafest beyond the place to network, meet people, listen to speakers and just enjoy being there. Let’s do all the things mentioned above but let’s also strive to add more to the Fest and truly strive to make it a Festival that’s helps in bringing the passion back to advertising.

     

    Subhash Kamath is the Managing Partner at BBH India

     

    Photograph: LinkedIn profile

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